Method, apparatus and system for producing components with a pre-determined outer surface appearance, especially for front panels of kitchen units

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method for the production of components with a pre-determined surface appearance, in particular for front panels of kitchen units, whereby the components are printed with a pre-determined pattern by means of a printing method which may be programmed corresponding to the appearance achieved. The invention further relates to a device for the production of said components and a system in which groups of said components are produced.

This application is the U.S. national phase of PCT application numberPCT/EP01/07159 filed Jun. 25, 2001, which claims priority to Germanpatent application number 100 31 030.3 filed Jun. 26, 2000.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method, an apparatus, and a system forproducing components with a predetermined outer surface appearance, inparticular front panels of kitchen elements.

A constructional feature of conventional kitchens is the fact that awide variety of kitchen elements, drawers, cupboards, electrical devicesand so forth are provided with front panels which impart a unique andattractive outer appearance to the kitchen. The variety of front panelsizes and the variety of customer-desired outer surfaces, which comprisevarious types of wood, synthetic material outer surfaces, various colorsand patterns, leads to an extraordinarily cost intensive production witha large inventory. For example, front panels are produced from varioussolid natural woods or with various wood veneers, which are stained inthe desired color and the outer surfaces are then sealed.

The object underlying the invention is to ameliorate the above-notedproblem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided forproducing components with a predetermined outer surface appearance, inparticular, front panels of kitchen elements. In this method, componentsare printed to form a predetermined pattern using a printing processprogrammable with respect to the appearance resulting therefrom.

With the inventive method, components having a wide variety outerappearances can be produced from shaped pieces, whose shape correspondsto the components to be produced, although the printed shaped pieces usethe same outer surfaces or shaped pieces which consist of asubstantially reduced diversity with respect to the their outer surfacematerial than the printed components to be produced. For example, shapedpieces with only two types of outer surfaces are processed in order toachieve an extraordinarily large variety. The one type of shaped pieceshas a synthetic material outer surface and the other type of shapedpieces has a wood veneer outer surface. A wide variety of colors and/orpatterns can be printed on the synthetic material outer surface in orderto produce an appropriate outer appearance. A wide variety of wood grainpatterns can be printed on the wood veneer outer surfaces, which woodgrain patterns produce the appearance of a wide variety of wood typeswith various colorings, without actually having to use the particularwood type. Surprisingly, it has become apparent that a base grainpattern of the veneer outer surface or, as well, of a solid wood outersurface is not averse to printing with other grain patterns and, byappropriately tuning the color intensities, does not detrimentallyaffect the outer appearance of the imprinted grain pattern. Thus, it ispossible with the inventive method to produce an extraordinarily highvariety of outer appearances, i.e. to produce appearances in the varietydesired by customers with a low variety of raw material pieces.

In preferred embodiments, three dimensional outer surfaces may beprinted. In addition or in the alternative, the printing process isperformed according to an ink-jet printing process, in which coloredliquids of different colors are sprayed from different nozzles.

In accordance with further preferred features, the outer surfaces to beprinted are pre-treated such that the outer surfaces absorb coloredliquids well, which colored liquids are subject to certain limitationsdue to the employed printing process such as, for example, an ink jetprinting process. In this manner, the outer surfaces to be printed andthe colored liquids can be coordinated with one another. For wood outersurfaces, a pre-treatment can also include treating the wood in apredetermined manner in the form of a laser treatment such that itsporosity and/or its fluid absorption capacity is tuned to the employedprinting process or the wood is provided with a specified base hue.

In accordance with other preferred features, the printed outer surfacecan be sealed or can be provided with other coatings, which are, forexample, mechanically highly resistive, not transparent to UV light, andso forth.

Also disclosed is an apparatus for producing components with apredetermined outer surface appearance, in particular, front panels ofkitchen elements. The apparatus preferably comprises a base for receiptof the components, a printing device oppositely disposed to thecomponent and having color spray nozzles for spraying differentlycolored inks, a transport device for producing a relative movementbetween the color spray nozzles and the components and a sensor devicefor sensing the positions of the outer surfaces of the components. Anelectronic control device controls the operation of the transport deviceand the printing device such that a predetermined, programmable patternis printed on the outer surface of the components.

In further embodiments, the distance between the color spray nozzles andthe base is preferably adjustable. In addition, the printing devicepreferably comprises color spray nozzles for printing variously orientedouter surfaces of the component. Moreover, a printing head is preferablylongitudinally movable on a support and the support is pivotable aboutan axis perpendicular to the direction of longitudinal movement of thesupport. The printing device may also preferably include at least onetwo-dimensionally pivotable printing head.

A system for producing groups of components having a predeterminedappearance, in particular, front panels for a kitchen comprised ofelements, preferably comprises an order input for compiling anelectronically-processible data record corresponding to a group ofordered components, a shape processing device for producing shapedcomponents from component materials, a finishing device for assembling agroup of shaped components that correspond, with respect to their numberand their shapes, to the group of ordered components, a printing devicefor printing the group of shaped components in accordance with theordered appearance, a product outlet for outputting the group of printedcomponents and an electronic control device for controlling theoperation of at least the printing device in accordance with theelectronically-processible data record.

With the inventive system, it is possible to achieve, in either a fullyautomatic or substantially automatic manner and with a very small numberof component materials and/or raw materials, an extraordinarily highvariety for customers without a cost-intensive inventory storage ofsubstantially finished, and therefore more expensive, parts beingnecessary. With the inventive system, much more can be produced “just intime” on order in a practical manner.

The invention is employable anywhere in which a high variety ofcomponents, with regard to the outer appearance, should be obtained forcustomers with low costs. The invention is especially advantageouslyemployed with planar components, from which tailored parts with apredetermined shape are first produced; the tailored parts then receivethe desired outer surface appearance. One application, for which theinvention is particularly well suited, is the furniture industry, inwhich furniture such as, for example, kitchen furniture, is assembledfrom planar components which should have different inner and outerappearances, wherein, in particular, the appearance of the outer sidethereof must be, to a large degree, customer-specific and of highquality.

The invention is described hereinafter with schematic drawings and withfurther details.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a view of two front panels with differing outer surfacestructures,

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of an inventive apparatus,

FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of an assembly comprising the inventiveapparatus,

FIG. 4 shown an example of further assemblies comprising the inventiveapparatus,

FIG. 5 shows a detail of the apparatus for printing operation knobs,

FIG. 6 shows a front panel provided with a decor,

FIG. 7 shows a sectional view through a front panel for illustrating theprinting,

FIG. 8 shows a group of front panels,

FIG. 9 shows a schematic sectional view through a printing head,

FIG. 10 shows a schematic sectional view through a modified embodimentof a printing head,

FIG. 11 shows a view of the printing head shown in FIG. 10 in a rinsingdevice and

FIG. 12 shows a system for the production of front panels belonging toan ordered kitchen.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows in exemplary manner two front panels 2, wherein the leftfront panel includes a wood outer surface having a grain pattern 4 andthe right front panel includes a homogeneous synthetic material outersurface. The front panels can have a variety of constructions and outersurfaces such as, for example, a fiberboard base body onto which a woodveneer is applied, a synthetic material base body on which the materialis bonded or laminated, the outer surface is structured in threedimensional manner, and so forth. The front panels can also be made fromsolid natural wood.

The broken lines 6 are contour lines to illustrate that the front panelsare required in various sizes, wherein non-right angled front panels,round and oval front panels, and so forth also can be provided.

FIG. 2 a shows in a plan view and FIG. 2 b shows in a side view anapparatus for applying selected patterns onto a front panel 2.

The front panel 2 is disposed on a transport device 8 which, forexample, comprises a transport belt 12 moving over rollers and/or shafts10; a motor 14 is provided for the driving thereof.

A gantry 16 extends transversely over the transport belt 12; a carriage20 is movably guided on a crossbeam 18 of the gantry 16 longitudinallyto the crossbeam 18. A motor 22 is provided to drive the carriage; apinion gear 24 of the motor engages with a tooth gear structure of thecarriage 20.

A bracket 26 is perpendicularly displaceably guided on the carriage 20in the direction of the double arrow (FIG. 2B) using a not-illustrateddrive; a printing head 28 is affixed to an end of the bracket 26 and is,for example, configured as a type of printing head such as the type usedin ink jet printing or bubble-jet printing, wherein colored liquid dropsare sprayed from color spray nozzles of the printing head.

Sensors 30, 32, and 34 are provided for detecting the position of thefront panel 2, its contour and its thickness, wherein the sensor 30, forexample, senses the forward edges of the front panel 2 moving on thetransport belt 12, the sensor 32 senses the height of the front panel 2,and the sensor 34, which is supported on the crossbeam 18, senses theside edges of the front panel 2.

The sensors can operate optically, using ultrasound or in another mannerand can additionally be movably arranged so that the entire geometry ofthe outer surface of the front panel 2 can be respectively sensed beforethe outer surface comes into the area under the printing head 28.

In the figures, the colored liquid reservoir and the colored liquorsupply for the printing head 28 is not illustrated; the colored liquidsupply can take place, for example, from large reservoir containers thatare disposed on the carriage 20.

A control device for controlling the apparatus is provided with acomputer 36, a keyboard 38, and a screen 40. It is to be understood thata loudspeaker can also be provided.

The sensors 30, 32, and 34 are connected to the inputs 42 of thecomputer 36; the drives for two dimensional movement (in the transversedirection to the transport belt 12 and perpendicular to its outersurface) of the printing head 28, the control lines for driving theprinting head 28 and, if necessary, the drives for movement of one ormore of the sensors 30, 32, and 34, as well as the drive 14 for thetransport belt 12, are connected to the outputs 44.

Data are input via a further input 46, the data providing the patternwhich is to be produced by the printing head 28. For the formation ofthis pattern, all degrees of freedom exist, wherein the patterns can beproduced by scanning of original images into digital form, can bestored, and then can be applied onto the front panel 2 by appropriatedriving of the printing head 28, as well as its movement relative to thefront panel 2, together with the controlling of the drive 14. Withrespect to the data processing, all modern technologies are availablesuch as, for example, those that are conventional with respect topresent day photo printing.

The construction and manner of operation of the individual elements ofthe apparatus are conventionally known and therefore are not elaboratedherein.

A front panel 2, which is disposed on the transport belt 12, isrecognized by the sensors 30, 32, and 34 based upon the position andsize of the front panel, so that the carriage 20 and the perpendiculardrive of the bracket 26, as well as the drive of the printing head 28,are controlled by the computer 36 in correspondence with the currentlyeffective pattern data such that the desired pattern is formed. If theentire contour of the front panel 2 is sensed, this serves such thatpractically no colored liquid is applied to the transport belt 12; theouter surface of the front panel 2, including, as well, its edgeregions, is completely printed.

The described apparatus can be modified in numerous ways. For example,if the geometry of the respective front panel is known and the frontpanel 2 is disposed at a respective reference position on the transportbelt 12 and is oriented in a predetermined manner relative to thetransport belt 12, it is only necessary to sense the front edge of thefront panel 2 and/or the location of the reference position relative tothe crossbeam 18, so that the expense for the sensors can becorrespondingly reduced. The perpendicular movability of the printinghead 28 is required for the reason that, in accordance with thespecifications of the printing head 28 and the achievable patternquality, a predetermined spacing between the color spray nozzles of theprinting head 28 and the outer surface of the front panel 2 to beprinted is required.

The single movable printing head shown in FIG. 2 having multiple colorspray nozzles (not illustrated) for spraying out various colored liquidscan, for example, be replaced by nozzle crossbeams arranged one afteranother in the transport direction, which extend transversely over thetransport belt 12 and respectively comprise a row of color spray nozzlesthat are selectively drivable by the computer 36. The spray nozzles ofthe individual nozzle crossbeams respectively spray only one color sothat any pattern color is producible with three serially arranged nozzlecrossbeams.

FIG. 3 shows, in perspective view, an advantageous detail of a printingdevice, which is additionally provided if necessary. In this printingdevice, the printing head 28 is guided in a longitudinally moveablemanner on a support 50 in the direction of the double arrows and thesupport 50 is pivotable about an axis 52 perpendicular to the directionof the double arrow. Additionally, the support 50 can be adjustable inthe height direction or the printing head 28 can be adjustable in theheight direction relative to the support 50.

With the apparatus, it is possible, as can be directly seen, to printside surfaces of the front panel 2 even if the side surfaces areinclined relative to the transport direction of the transport belt 12.

FIG. 4 shows further details of possible embodiments of the printingdevice. Printing heads 28 ₂ are pivotable relative to a bracket 26 ₂ bymeans of a not-illustrated drive, such that the projections 54 formed onthe front panel 22 can be printed. The bracket 26 ₂ can also bedisplaceably movable in the vertical direction and the printing heads 28₂ can, for example, be pivotable about a vertical axis by means of asuitable bearing of the support arm 56 on the bracket 26 ₂. By means ofthe thus produced kinematic possibilities, it is possible to print theprojections 54 in a manner such that the color spray nozzles of theprinting heads 28 ₂ are each located at a predetermined spacing from theouter surface and oriented perpendicular to the outer surface direction,whereby a high quality pattern can be produced.

The printing head 28 ₃, which is further illustrated in FIG. 4, ismovable as a whole such that the side surfaces of the front panel 2 ₂are printable.

As can be directly seen in the preceding drawings, each outer surfacecontour of a front panel 2, including as well, for example, controlknobs 60 provided on a front panel 2 according to FIG. 5, can be printedwith a printing head 28, which is pivotably arranged about a verticaland a horizontal axis on a bracket 26 (FIG. 2) that is movablevertically and in the transverse direction of the transport belt 12,operating in cooperation with a forward movement and a backward movementof the transport belt 12.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a decor and/or a pattern, 62, which isapplied onto an outer surface of a front panel 2, the outer surfacebeing provided with a grain pattern 4. The grain pattern 4, which can beprovided by the wood itself and/or is also applied by printing, can bedifferently accentuated according to a homogeneous contrasting color, inwhich the outer surface is sprayed and/or printed, wherein a rectangularborder is additionally applied as a decor and/or as a pattern in theillustrated example.

FIG. 7 shows a front panel, which includes a base body 62, for example,made from fiberboard, on which a veneer 67 made from soft and/orabsorbent, wood is mounted. If liquid drops 66 are applied to this typeof an absorbent outer surface, similar to fibrous or moist paper, thesedrops spread sideways and flow into one another, whereby a very pleasingpattern, from an optical perspective, can be produced, if the edge areasof the differently colored liquid drops 66 run into each other.

The amounts of the colored liquids of the individual liquid drops, whichrun into one another, can be influenced by the volume of the liquiddrops and the nature of the outer surface.

FIG. 8 shows an example, in which an overall pattern and/or an overallimpression can be produced by appropriate printing of individual frontpanels 2 ₁₀ through 2 ₁₅. In accordance with FIG. 9, different colorspray nozzles 70 ₁ to 70 ₄ charged with different-colored liquids can beprovided in a printing head 28, wherein, for example, the printing heads70 ₁, 70 ₂, and 70 ₃, are charged with colors which, when combined,produce the color black and the printing head 70 ₄ is charged with ablack-colored color liquid.

FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of a printing head 72 which comprises fourdifferent printing heads, A, B, C, and X, wherein the printing heads A,B, C are charged with differently-colored liquids and the printing headX is charged with a rinsing liquid. The printing heads A, B, C spray therespective colored liquids into an intermediate container 74, which isprovided with a stirrer 76, and from which an additional printing head78 is charged.

With the assembled printing head 72, the following is achieved:

By appropriately driving the printing heads A, B, C, every mixed colorcan be produced in the intermediate container 74 in a programmablemanner from the three different colored liquids, the homogeneity of themixed color being guaranteed by stirrer 76. In this manner, the coloredliquid of each desired color can be extensively and homogeneouslysprayed from the printing head 78 and applied onto an outer surface.

FIG. 11 shows the printing head 72 of FIG. 10 during a rinsing process,when a color change is required. After the programmed liquid volume ofthe intermediate container 74 has been substantially sprayed out, arinsing liquid from a supply container 80 is sprayed out of the printinghead X into the intermediate container 74 and the rinsing liquid issupplied into a circulation loop 82. The rinsing liquid can be filteredat 86, if the colored liquid is a pigmented colored liquid, and can thenrepeatedly flow through the intermediate container 74 until no morecolor residues are present, and thereafter can be again supplied to thesupply container 80. The reference numerals 88 and 90 denote valves;reference numeral 92 denotes a pump. With the arrangement of FIG. 11,various homogeneous colors can be sprayed in an environmentally friendlymanner with low color liquid losses.

Preferably, a coating layer covers the previously described printing ofthe outer surfaces of the front panels 2, in which the outer surface,which is formed in a predetermined pattern and/or with a predeterminedbackground color using colored liquid, is provided with a protectivecoating, whereby this protective coating is applied, for example, as afilm or as a one or two component synthetic resin or a natural resin.The protective coating, which is preferably transparent, makes the outersurface durable, chemically resistive, and scratch resistant. Inaddition, it reduces the requirements for the UV resistance capabilityof the utilized colored liquids and/or inks, with which the printing iseffected. The protective coating can be formed by spraying, rolling, oralso by other known ways.

The described method can be modified in numerous ways. The printing isnot required to be effected according to the ink jet process. Thecoloring and/or pattern formation on the outer surfaces can be effectedwith any other process, which is preferably programmable, so that a highdegree of flexibility is provided.

FIG. 12 schematically shows the structure of an entire system forproducing groups of front panels which are required for a kitchen.

Reference numeral 100 refers to the order input, in which orders for akitchen are input in a wide variety of ways. An ordered kitchen ischaracterized by the nature and number of its components, such ascupboards, shelves, electrical devices, and so forth, which are allfinished with front panels on the visible side; the front panels have aspecific decor that distinguishes itself, for example, by the outersurface material, the base color, and the pattern with its respectivecolors.

In response to the receipt of an ordered kitchen, anelectronically-processible data record is compiled in the order input100 for a group of front panels, which data record requires the groupfor an ordered kitchen and which data record is complied in view of theouter surface characteristics and dimensions of the front panels.Depending on whether the required front panels are already available ina finished condition in an inventory 102 or must be produced in acustomizing device 104 with the respective dimensions, the ordered datarecord goes through the inventory 102 or the customizing device 104.

The data record complied in the order input 100 is supplied to a controldevice 102 that operates using electronic data processing.

Pre-prepared raw material boards with the required diversity of outersurfaces, e.g., synthetic material panels and/or panels with woodveneers, are stored in a material inventory 104.

A shape processing device 106 follows the material inventory 104; in theshape processing device 106, the unfinished panels taken from thematerial inventory 104 can be cut with cutting devices controlled inconventional numerical control manner or other cutting devices; shapedpanels and/or shaped pieces with predetermined dimensions can beproduced from the cut panels. The shape processing device 106 isfollowed by a shaped piece inventory 108 in which, in particular,frequently required pre-finished shaped pieces are stored.

Further, a finishing device 110 follows the shape processing device 106;in the finishing device 110, groups of shaped pieces, which belong, forexample, to a single order, are assembled together with one another.These groups can be arranged in several different ways, for example,immediately after the order or thereafter, whether they requirepredetermined special outer surface treatments, which are first possibleafter alteration thereof. Various outer surfaces can belong to a singleorder.

The finishing device 110 is followed by a pre-treatment device 112, inwhich the shaped pieces assembled in the finishing device arepre-treated in a predetermined manner; for example, they are providedwith a primer coat, an edge veneer is mounted, an edge protector ismounted, and so forth.

The pre-treatment device 112 is followed by a printing device 114 which,for example, is configured in a manner similar to the printing devicedescribed in the preceding figures. A coating device 116 follows theprinting device 114, in which the printed and, if necessary lowresistance, outer surfaces are coated, for example, with clear enamelwhich is mechanically especially resistant, not chemically corrodibleand/or does not permit UV light to pass through. A product outlet 118follows the coating device 116, in which the finished components areavailable for further processing into a complete kitchen, a furniturepiece, and so forth.

In FIG. 12, double arrows indicate the respective flow of material. Theconnections between the electronic control device 102 and the individualstations are shown by broken lines, wherein the double arrowsrespectively indicate that bi-directional data communication occurs.

In the individual devices and/or stations, the construction of theoperation devices, transport devices, shelf inventories, and so forth,can be known, which devices are controlled by the control device 102 inaccordance with the respective data record.

It is assumed that a data record corresponding to an ordered kitchen iscompiled in the order input 100. The electronic control device theninquires in the shaped piece inventory 108 whether corresponding shapedpieces are already pre-finished. The available shaped pieces aredelivered to the finishing device 110. The not yet finished shapedpieces are processed from the raw material boards in the shapedprocessing device 106 and are delivered to the finishing device 110.Thereafter, the components pass through the pre-treatment, the printing,and the coating, in order to then be available in the shipping area 118.The pre-treatment device 112 and the coating device 116 can basically beconfigured in a manner similar to the printing device, i.e., theycomprise a transport belt or other transport device, on which they aresupplied to the respective working station, wherein the respectiveposition, geometry, and so forth thereof is sensed by position sensors.

As can be directly seen from the foregoing, the inventive system makespossible, with a very small stock inventory (material inventory 104; theshaped piece inventory 108 is not absolutely necessary), a need-based,fully-automatic production of component groups corresponding to an orderinput or, in case individual handles will be affixed manually, asubstantially automatic production. It is to be understood thatadditional fully-automatic working stations could follow the productoutlet 118, in which complete furniture pieces are assembled from thepre-finished components, whose outer surfaces are already complete.

The described system can be modified in numerous ways. For example, thepre-treatment device 112 and the coating device 116 are not necessary.The printing device 114 can work in accordance with various processes. Afurther working station can follow the finishing device 110 and/or thepre-treatment device 112, in which assembled components are producedfrom the not yet printed components, which assembled components are thenprinted. The construction of the shape processing device 106 can becomplex so that not only components are cut from the raw materialboards, but also components are formed, for example, withthree-dimensional ornamentation and so forth.

With the illustrated system, replacement pieces for furniture piecessuch as, for example, replacement walls for front panels of a kitchen,can also be produced, as the system operates with very goodreproducibility due to the advantageously programmable printing 114 and,as may optionally be provided, with the enhancements of thepre-treatment and the coating. The system is extraordinarily flexibleand is suitable with respect to the illustrated structuralconfigurations for deployment for the production, especially, offurniture. The individual stations which are networked to the dataprocessing system can also be networked as desired such as, for example,with remote order inputs communicating via different communication ways.

Reference Numeral List 2 front panel 4 grain pattern 6 contour lines 8transport device 10 shaft 12 transport belt 14 motor 16 gantry 18crossbeam 20 carriage 22 motor 24 pinion 26 bracket 28 printing head 30sensor 34 sensor 36 computer 38 keyboard 40 screen 42 inputs 44 outputs50 support 52 axis 54 projection 56 support arm 58 support arm 60control knob 62 pattern 64 base body 66 liquor drops 70 color spraynozzle 72 printing head 74 intermediate container 76 stirrer 78 printinghead 80 supply container 82 circulation loop 86 filter 88 valve 90 valve92 pump 100 order input 102 electronic control device 106 shapeprocessing device 108 shape piece inventory 110 finishing device 112pre-treatment device 114 printing device 116 coating device 118 productoutlet

1. A method for printing a rigid component comprising a veneer having asolid natural wood outer surface that is mounted onto a base body, themethod comprising: ink jet printing a plurality of differently-coloredinks from a plurality of different nozzles onto said veneer according toa program configured to ink jet print a predetermined wood appearancecomprising a predetermined wood grain pattern and a predeterminedbackground color, wherein the plurality of colored inks and the veneerpossess the following properties and the ink jet printing is performedsuch that: (i) the colored inks are absorbed by the veneer, (ii) edgeregions of neighboring sprayed droplets of differently-colored inks flowinto one another while being absorbed by the veneer, and (iii) after inkjet printing and absorption of the colored inks, the resulting visualappearance of the veneer is formed by a combination of the imprintedpredetermined wood appearance and the natural appearance of the veneer,such that said resulting visual appearance of the imprinted veneer isdifferent from both the predetermined wood appearance and the naturalappearance of the veneer.
 2. A method according to claim 1, furthercomprising: scanning an original image into digital form, storing thescanned image, and applying the scanned image according to said ink jetprinting step.
 3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the originalimage is a wood outer surface appearance.
 4. A method according to claim3, further comprising: differently accentuating the printed wood grainpattern by changing the intensity of the predetermined background colorthat is printed with the wood grain pattern.
 5. A method according toclaim 4, further comprising: selecting the predetermined wood appearancefrom a plurality of predetermined wood appearances stored in a computer,the selected predetermined wood appearance differing from the naturalappearance of said veneer.
 6. A method according to claim 5, furthercomprising: ink jet printing at least one three-dimensional outersurface defined on the rigid component.
 7. A method according to claim6, wherein a predetermined spacing is maintained between an ink jetprint head comprising said nozzles and the three-dimensional outersurface while the three-dimensional outer surface is being ink jetprinted.
 8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the rigid componentis a front panel of a kitchen cupboard.
 9. A method according to claim8, further comprising: supporting the rigid component on a base duringthe ink jet printing step, actuating a transport device to move thecolor spray nozzles relative to the rigid component during the ink jetprinting step, detecting at least one outer surface of the rigidcomponent using at least one sensor, and controlling the operation ofthe transport device and the ink jet printer using information receivedfrom the at least one sensor such that the predetermined wood appearanceis ink jet printed on the veneer.
 10. A method according to claim 9,further comprising: adjusting the distance between the color spraynozzles and the base during the ink jet printing step.
 11. A methodaccording to claim 10, wherein the ink jet printing step furthercomprises: longitudinally moving at least one printing head mounted on asupport coupled to the base, and pivoting the support about an axisperpendicular to the direction of longitudinal movement of the support.12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:two-dimensionally pivoting the at least one printing head during the inkjet printing step.
 13. A method according to claim 12, furthercomprising: generating an input order by compiling an electronicallyprocessible data record corresponding to a group of components that havebeen ordered, the order input including information concerning thedesired wood appearance of components to be printed, and cutting rawmaterial boards to form shaped pieces corresponding to the ordered groupof components, the shaped respectively comprising the wood veneermounted on a base body, and wherein the ink jet printer is programmablycontrolled so as to print the shaped corresponding to the ordered groupof components in accordance with the electronically processible datarecord, thereby producing the printed components having the desired woodappearance.
 14. A method for printing a wood veneer mounted on a basebody made of a synthetic material or fiberboard, the method comprising:selecting a predetermined type of wood appearance, which has apredetermined wood grain pattern and a background color, from aplurality of predetermined types of wood appearances, each of which hasa predetermined wood grain pattern and background color, stored in acomputer, the wood grain pattern and background color of the selectedpredetermined type of wood appearance differing from the natural woodgrain pattern and natural background color of said veneer, and ink jetprinting a plurality of differently colored inks on said veneeraccording to a program configured to print the selected predeterminedtype of wood appearance, wherein the plurality of colored inks and theveneer possess the properties that: (i) the colored inks are absorbableby the veneer, and (ii) edge regions of neighboring sprayed droplets ofdifferently colored inks flow into one another while being absorbed bythe veneer, such that said resulting visual appearance of the wood grainpattern of the imprinted veneer is different from both the selectedpredetermined type of wood appearance and the natural wood grain patternand natural background color of the veneer.
 15. A method according toclaim 14, further comprising: scanning an original image into digitalform, the original image being a wood outer surface appearance, storingthe scanned image, and applying the scanned image according to said inkjet printing step.
 16. A method according to claim 14, furthercomprising: differently accentuating the printed wood grain pattern bychanging the intensity of the predetermined background color that isprinted with the wood grain pattern.
 17. A method according to claim 14,further comprising: ink jet printing at least one three-dimensionalouter surface defined on the rigid component, wherein a predeterminedspacing is maintained between an ink jet print head comprising saidnozzles and the three-dimensional outer surface while thethree-dimensional outer surface is being ink jet printed.
 18. A methodaccording to claim 14, wherein the rigid component is a front panel of akitchen cupboard.
 19. A method for printing a rigid component comprisinga veneer having a solid natural wood outer surface that is mounted ontoa base body, the method comprising: scanning an original image of a woodcuter appearance into digital form, storing the scanned image, applyingthe scanned image to the veneer by ink jet printing a plurality ofdifferently-colored inks from a plurality of different nozzles onto saidveneer according to a program configured to ink jet print the storedwood outer appearance comprising a predetermined wood grain pattern anda predetermined background color, wherein the plurality of colored inksand the veneer possess the following properties and the ink jet printingis performed such that: (i) the colored inks are absorbed by the veneer,(ii) edge regions of neighboring sprayed droplets of differently-coloredinks flow into one another while being absorbed by the veneer, and (iii)after ink jet printing and absorption of the colored inks, the resultingvisual appearance of the veneer is formed by a combination of theimprinted predetermined wood appearance and the natural appearance ofthe veneer, such that said resulting visual appearance of the imprintedveneer is different from both the predetermined wood appearance and thenatural appearance of the veneer.
 20. A method according to claim 19,further comprising: differently accentuating the printed wood grainpattern by changing the intensity of the predetermined background colorthat is printed with the wood grain pattern.